Portable conveyer



Sept. 17, 1929.

H. H. BARBER PORTABLE CONVEYER Filed Nov. 30 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet Sept.'l7, 1929- H. H. BARBER PORTABLE CONVEYER 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 50

Patented Sept. 17, 1929 i UNITED STATES, P T NT-J OF HARRY n. BARBER, on AURORA, ILLINOIS, AssrsnoR'iro BARBER-animus cc 1u'- PANY, or AURoRA, ILLINOIS, A ooRjPoRATIoN or ILLINOIS PORTABLE CON VEYER The purpose of this invention is toprovide a portable conveyer of simple construction and a truck on which it maybe easily, moved about, the truck being also adapted to carry an engine or motor connected for operating the conveyer. It consists of various features and elements of construction and their com bination hereinafter described and shownin the drawingsas indicated by the claims.

In the-drawings: a Figure 1 is a side elevation of a'conveyer and its truck embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view'of the same with conveyer frame raised to horizontal position. p j

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation. of the lower portion or loading end of the conveyer with certain parts broken away to re vealdetails of the structure.

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken as indicated at line M on Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail seotiontaken as indicated at line 5-5 on'Figure 3. J

Figure 6 is a transverse fragmental section looking inthe direction of the arrow at line6onFigure3. I U

Figure 7 is a detail plan view of a fragment of the conveyer belt. I p Figure 8 is a detail section taken as indicated at line 88 on Figure 7. s Figure 9 is a detail side elevation of a fragment of the belt rounding thetail pulley.

As illustrated in the drawings this conveyer is shown provided with a belt, 1, which consistsof a fabric portion, 2, fitted with articulated side flanges, 3, and transverse flights, 4, which are hereinafter more fully descri ed. The belt, 1, travels over drums, 5 and 6, at the lower and upper ends of the frame respectively and said frame is composed principally of side members, 7, whichmay be in the form of steelchannels as shown in Figure 6 connected at intervals by cross ties, 8, and also provided with auxiliary supporting rollers, 9, for the belt, 1. The belt is driven through a chain, 10, connecting a sprocket wheel, 11, which is rigid withthe drum, 6, and a sprocket, 12, on a 'countershaft, 13, journaled transversely inthe frame and carrying a second sprocket, 14, driven by a chain, 15, from any suitablesource of power, I such as an engine or motor portably assooiated with the conveyer.

The conveyer framei pairs of struts orbraces, 16 and 17 which Y is supported by two extend divergently from an axle, 18, upon which they are pivotally mounted, and said axle, 18, 18 supported on large carrying wheels, 19, positioned at conveyer frame. is disposed entirely at.

opposite sides of the The remainder of thet-ruck one side of the conveyer frame and consists of horizontal frame members, 20, 20' extending forwardly from the axle, 18, at opposite sidesofone of the wheels, 19, connected together, at their forward ends by a casting kingbolt or other swivel connection for the 21,.which carries a short axle, 22, ofa pair of steering wheels, 23. A handle,24, extending from the axle,

22, is provided for use veyer about from place in drawing the 0011-, to place.

As shown in the drawings thechain, 15, is driven from a sprocket wheel, 25, journaled to rotate onthe axle, 18, and secured rigidly to a pulley, 26, connected by a belt, 27, with the drive pulley, 28, and the'shaft of the engine, 29, said engine being supported on the frame members, 20.. The enginebase is slidably securedin position and is adjustable for tight ening the belt, 27, threaded adjusting rods, 30, being provided with nuts, 31, for this purpose.

When moving theconveyer from one place to another the frame members, 7 may be swung about the'axle, 18, into approximately horizontal position thus lifting the lower end of the frame off the ground. As theweight v y balanced about the axle, 18, the device can be maneuvered usually by one man using one hand to support the frame in this position and the other hand for of the structure is nearl the swinging movement drawing the truck. It will be'observed that of the frame does not affect the condition of the drive chain, 15, or

other drive connections since the powerpasses through the sprocket wheel, 25,, and beltwheel, 26, which are journaled upon the axle, 18, about whose axis the frame members, .7, I

are swung. A Further ad ustment 0' f the conveyer frame thus placed'undejr the desired tension. "shown in thedrawingsthe extension frame,

for altering its angle of inclination in use and thus changing the height at which it delivers material is provided for by fitting the upper end of the struts, 16, with rollers, 32, upon which the frame members, 7, rest without other securement to the struts, 16. The angle between the struts, l6, and the struts, 17, is then varied by means of a pair of chains or cables, 33, 34, anchored to the axle, 35, which carries the rollers,32. To permit of equalizing the length of the cables, one of them, the cable, 34, is connected'to the axle, 35, by a Libolt, 36, having nuts, 37, which may be adjusted to shorten or lengthen the cable, 34, as

ing theanjg'le between the members, 7 and 17,

and results in raising [the upper end of the frame while the opposite adjustment of said rollers, 32, ,will lower the discharge end of the c'onveyer. The weight of the parts is relied upon primarily to maintain contact of the members, 7,withthc rollers,32.

A further range of adjustment may be secured byproviding several sets of pivot holes, 44, for the. pivots, 43, whichgconnect the struts,- 17, to'the"side frames, 7.

A At the lower "end 'o'fthe conveyer a sort of hopper is formed ofa pair of inwardly sloping wings, "45,-w'hich are held in place by brackets, 46, pivotally attached at 47, to brackets, 48, secured toextension members, 49, attached for sliding adjustment upon the end portions of the frame members, 7. The lower edges of the. wings, 45, are bent at 50, to ride uponfthe edges of the flights, 4, as they pass under them; and by reason of their pivotal connections at 47, said wings may be readily swung back, clear of the belt for removal of any material which may occasionally become wedged between the belt flanges, 3, and the side frame members.

The tightening of the belt, 2, is efiected by sliding adjustment of the extension frames, 49, upon the channels, 7, 'to' each of which channels there is anchored at 52 a threaded tension rod, '53, which passes through an opening in a bracket, 54, said bracketfbeing secured rigidly to ja'portion of the extension frame, 49. By adjustment of the nut, '55, on the rod, 53, the bracket, 54, and with it the frame, 49, is crowded along toward the end of the frame member, 7, and the belt, 2, is

49, is composed of two angle members fornr ing a Z b'ar, the depending-flange ofthelower will cause trouble at the drum, 5.

member, 49 riding upon the inner face of the channel, 7, and the upstanding flange of the other member, 49*, extending substantially in the same vertical plane as the outer edges of the channel flanges. Thus a bent clip, 56, attached to the angles, 49, extends under the upper flange of the channel, 7, to guide and retain the parts throughout the range of sliding adjustment. V

Notwithstandingthe flanges, 3, on the belt, 2, there is likely to be some spillage of material, which, if it reach the return ply of the belt and thus lodge upon its under surface, Under the loading hopper which consists of the wings, 45,-there is provided an apron or cover, 57, extending'entirely over the lower ply of the belt, 2 and formed witlr'depending 1narginal flanges, '58. At the forward or lower end the apron carries a'scraper blade, 59, which rests upon or against the surfaceof the drum, 5, and removes therefrom any foreign material which may reach that surface. A considerableportion of the weight of the apron, 5?, acts to maintain th'iscontact of the scraper blade, 59, and to follow up its jwear since the only other supportof the apron con sists in links, '60, pivotally 'hu'ngat 61, on the side frames, '7, and pivotal'lyconnected 21-1762, with rigid straps, 63, extending upward'trom the flanges, 58, of the apron. g I

' t the lower endof theconveyer theshaft or axle of the pulley,5,'is mounted in'plates, 67, supported by the ex'tensionframe members 49; and the pulley is supported justoli the ground by a plate or shoe, 68, connecting the bearing plates, 67, and-extending :under the lower ply of thebeltfor'a short distance. Rein-forcing angle members, 69, extend further for connection with hangers,-66,-depend ing from the frame members, 49, adj acentthe brackets, 54. I a V For most uses the form ofbelt shown in Figures 7,8and 9 is preferred. It comprises a flexible web, 2, for 'W'hicharubber coated beltin fabric is uite -suitable, and metallic side danges, 3,-0 articulated construction.

'Each unitof the'side flanges inoludes a'plate upstanding at the 'edgeof the web, 2, with its trailing end portion ofiset, as shown at -71,;to overlap theleading end of the next plate. This arrangement'is of especial advantageat the loading end otthe-conve'yer, permitting the outer surfaces of *the side flanges to draw smoothly past the material in the pile from which the belt,2, is being filled. By mitering the upper rear corners of the side plates, as shown at72, I avoid the possibility of particles becoming caught or wedged between the ends of the overlapped plates as they pass around the'tail pulley,

5, and'vary their angular relation to each "other, as indicated in Figure 9. Preferabl 'the forward corners, 7 3, are slightly rounde "Each of the sideplates isfurnis'hed witha rigidly extending mounting foot, 74, which may comprise one arm of an angle member whose other arm, 75, is secured to the inner face of the side plate, asbyrivets, 7 6. I find it desirable to have the foot, 74, extend from the plate at a little distance above the lower edge of the plate, so that the lower marginal portion of said plate will overhang the edge of the belt web, 2, thus protecting it from abrasive wear and greatly prolonging its useful life. Each foot piece, 7 4:, is attached to the belt by a single fastener, such as a bolt or rivet, and it is found convenient to utilize the same bolts for securing the ends of the cross-flight, 4, as shown in Figure 7. These cross-flights are formed of angle rail, with one leg, 81, thus attached at its ends, and at intermedite points, to the belt,.2, and with the other leg upstanding from the belt and preferably bent, as shown in Figure 8, with the upper edge slightly overhanging the belt surface and leaning in the direction of travel shown by the arrow, A. The crossflights stiffen the belt laterally at intervals, but by reason of the flexibility of the web, it will sag slightly between flights, formin pockets which will carry more material an hold it more securely than if the belt remained perfectly flat.

I claim 1. A conveyer belt comprising a flexible load supporting web with metallic side flanges, each having a mounting foot se-Z cured to the web, but extending inwardly from the edge thereof for a small proportion of the belt width, leaving the middle portion of the web unstiflened by such foot pieces; and rigid cross flights at intervals on the web, attached thereto, adjacent the marinal flanges, and also at intermediate oints beyond the inner ends of the mounting eet of said flanges, whereby the Web is held up to the cross flights and adapted to sag between said flights, forming pockets to carry the load.

2. A conveyer belt comprising a flexible load supporting web with articulated side flanges, each flange member having a mounting foot secured to the web by a single fastener and extending inwardly from the edge of the web for a small proportion of the belt width, leaving the middle portion of the web unstiffened by such foot pieces; and rigid cross flights arranged at intervals on the web, attached at their ends b the same fasteners which secure the side ange members, and also secured to the web at intermediate points beyond the inner ends of the mounting feet of said flanges, whereby the web is held up to said cross flights and permitted to sag between said flights, forming pockets to carry the load.

3. In a conveyerbelt a side flange comprising a succession of overlapping plates, each plate having its trailing end portion sharply oflset laterally of the belt by substantially the amount of its thickness, andoverlapped upon the outer face of the next following plate, and a mounting foot extending from the inner face. ofeach plate just ahead of its edge of the belt.

HARRY H. BARBER. 

